The Seventh Bi-annual Festival of Spirituals will gather 500 singers with choirs from Tuskegee University, the University of Alabama, Stillman College, Alabama A&M University, Clark Atlanta University, Alabama State University, Miles College, Talladega College and Oakwood University on Sunday, Feb. 26, in the Mark C. Smith Concert Hall at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville. It is sponsored by the Historically Black Colleges and Universities and the Alabama State Council on the Arts, and organized by Oakwood University, the Adventist institution with a long pedigree among the African American community in the U.S.Members of the band Committed, winner of NBC Television’s “The Sing Off” in 2010, will also make a “surprise” appearance, according to The Huntsville Times. They are Oakwood University graduates and will join an event that now attracts a crowd too large for the facilities on campus. It has moved to the largest concert space in the city. “It has become a very big thing” in the city where America’s rocket construction is based.The event will be “a powerful history lesson,” stated the daily newspaper. The music “is a spiritual thing that goes back to the Negro experience,” it quoted Dr. Roy Malcolm, the Oakwood professor who coordinates the festival. “We want to make sure it is not a competition; it’s not even a concert. It’s a celebration of liberty.”Each of the nine university and college choral groups will present two songs after an introduction by the Excelsia Choir, a diverse group of singers from many of the churches in the city, including First Seventh-day Adventist Church of Huntsville. All of the groups will join together for “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” the hymn known as the black national anthem.“We’re not celebrating the pain but experiencing what we’ve gotten from the freedom. We focus on the blessings that the freedom has brought us.” The event seeks to preserve the spiritual as an important art form, Malcolm told the paper.Richard Arrington first organized the festival in the 1970s when he was executive director of the Alabama Center for Higher Education. After Arrington was elected mayor of Birmingham, the largest city in this southern state, the annual gathering ended. It was revived in 1996 as part of Oakwood’s 100th anniversary and then began as a biannual event in 2002. It is scheduled every second year in February as part of Black History Month.

can i ask, if the white people can do the same, will we be happy as black people? Just wondering... Its like Man gathering to celebrate their manhood. This type of things keeps us in bondage. Its like in my country, during elections, the tv will be showing movies of the struggle just to make sure that we vote for a certain party. That to me is still mental slavery. The only celebration i will join will be on the welcome table with jesus. That is true freedom.

You get my vote there Paul. We are to be careful always; even as we enjoy ourselves. Is music a ministry? It is a big challenge to balance something like this; as in remaining honest to God's requirements for a 'clean society'; no competition, preach love for others and ultimately God, etc.

The event will be “a powerful history lesson,” stated the daily newspaper. The music “is a spiritual thing that goes back to the Negro experience,” it quoted Dr. Roy Malcolm, the Oakwood professor who coordinates the festival. “We want to make sure it is not a competition; it’s not even a concert. It’s a celebration of liberty.”Each of the nine university and college choral groups will present two songs after an introduction by the Excelsia Choir, a diverse group of singers from many of the churches in the city, including First Seventh-day Adventist Church of Huntsville. All of the groups will join together for “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” the hymn known as the black national anthem.

Honestly, did you even read the entire article? So much for your "competition" negativity. smh.

Using your terms, "White people" do the same and as Black people most are happy....People are happy with being able to worship God based on their convictions and in this case, history.

I have been to one in the past and LOVED IT! As a person who is involved in music ministry professionally, I can state that they are very well put together. It is a great opportunity for our students to share what brings us together, especially during Black History Month at a HBCU. As a person who knows of Dr. Roy Malcolm, there is no doubt that he means what he says about this being celebratory and not competitve.

The good news is if you are not supportive of this, you won't have to be there.

Sarah, I'm just asking if i'm required to be reminded that i'm black means anything... I wonder if white people are welcome! Lol. But i know you'll say yes they are. We need to move from black heritage to all peoples heritage. Forgive and forget. We all belong to christ, black and white. Imagine we are in heaven, and we ask Jesus to allow black people to celebrate their liberty. Sounds odd to me. But that's just me. Let every man be persuaded in their own mind.